Jones' top horses included Best Pal, the Golden Eagle Farm star and first Pacific Classic winner

Jones, who trained such equine stars as Best Pal, Quiet American and Turkoman, found out Friday he will be inducted into the National Museum of Horse Racing’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 8 at Saratoga.

“I was nominated so many times (nine) I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen,” said Jones, 69, who lives in Del Mar with his wife of 47 years, Joan, and whose son, Marty, followed him into the business as a trainer.

Jones won 1,465 races from 1975 to 1996 before retiring due to health reasons. His horses earned $52,672,611. Jones won 102 graded stakes races and 233 overall stakes. He trained 104 stakes-winning horses, including Best Pal, who won the inaugural Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 1991. He won 15 overall training titles in Southern California, including two at Del Mar in 1979 with 23 winners and 1993 with 18 winners. His father, Farrell “Wild Horse” Jones, has the Del Mar record with 11 training titles.

“This is just the ultimate,” Jones said by phone when reached Friday afternoon. “It’s an honor that is unbelievable . . . one that no one can expect.”

Jones will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with jockey Alex Solis and two horses, Ashado and Curlin.

Jones son, Marty, who is training at Santa Anita’s spring meeting, told Ed Golden of Santa Anita that he plans on going back to Saratoga with his mother and father in August.

“I couldn’t be more excited and proud of both my mom and dad,” Marty Jones told Golden. “It’s just a really special day and I’m looking forward to going back with them to Saratoga this summer.”

Jones had 17 stakes wins at Del Mar. In addition to the Pacific Classic in 1991, he also won the Del Mar Futurity with Winning Pact in 1993, the San Diego Handicap twice, with Quiet American in 1990 and with Kingdom Found in 1994.